Label retaining means for capsules, bottles, containers and the like



Dec. 27, 1966 D. P. M MAHO 3,293,787

LABEL RETAINING MEANS FOR CAPSULES, OTTLES, CONTAINERS AND THE LIKE Filed April 12, 1965 id I INVENTOR fi' a /hlnwv VW ATTORNEY United States Patent M 3,293,787 LABEL RETAINING MEANS FOR CAPSULES, BOTTLES, CONTAINERS AND THE LIKE Dennis P. McMahon, Box 40, MacGregor, Manitoba, Canada Filed Apr. 12, 1965, Ser. No. 447,471 1 Claim. (Cl. 40-306) My invention relates to new and useful improvements in label retaining means for containers.

Although the invention is primarily concerned with label retaining means for drugs, medicines and the like, nevertheless it will be appreciated that it can be used for other purposes.

It is conventional for the druggist to dispense perscription medicines, usually in tablet or capsule form. The prescribed drug or medicine is normally placed within a cylindrical plastic container having a push cap or screw cap associated therewith.

It is normal to type or otherwise inscribe a paper label bearing the perscription number, the name of the patient, and the dosage perscribed by the medial practitioner.

This label is normally slipped within the container so that it lies against the inner wall surface, the capsules or tablets are placed within the container, a wad of cotton wool is placed upon the tablets or capsules to prevent relevant movement thereof and the cap is placed upon the container.

The said label is easily displaced by the patient par ticularly when removing the cotton wool and often becomes lost.

It will be appreciated that the loss of the label can be extremely serious due primarily to the complete loss of identification of the contents of the container.

Relatively powerful and highly concentrated drugs nor mally in use today make it of the utmost importance that such drugs be labelled correctly not only with regard to the required dosage but also with the identity of the patient.

It will readily be appreciated that extreme danger could occur with several containers of unlabelled drugs present in a medicine cabinet or other storage place.

I have overcome the disadvantage of the present labelling system by providing means incorporated with upper edge of the container which retains the label against displacement, said means making inadvertent displacement impossible and purposeful displacement extremely dif ficult.

The principal object and essence of my invention is therefore to provide a device of the character herewithin described which retains a label against the wall surface of a cylindrical container and prevents same being displaced from the container when the contents are being dispensed therefrom.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which eliminates the danger of unlabelled drugs being maintained in a medicine cabinet or the like.

A yet further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which is equally suitable for use with a container having a press type cap or a screw type cap.

A yet further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which is simple in construction, economical in manufacture, and otherwise well suited to the purpose for which it is designed.

With the foregoing in view, and all those objects, purposes or advantages which may become apparent from consideration of this disclosure and specification, the present invention consists of the inventive concept embodied in the method, process, construction, arrangement 3,293,787 Patented Dec. 27, 1966 of parts, or new use of the same, as herein particularly exemplified in one or more specific embodiments of such concept, reference being had to the accompanying figures in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of my device incorporated within a container, sectioned in part for clarity.

FIGURE 2 is a planned sectional view substantially along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1 but with the cap removed.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2 but with the cap in place.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

Proceeding therefore to describe the invention in detail, reference character 10 illustrates a cylindrical container 11 normally manufactured of relatively clear plastic and having a base 12 formed integrally therewith and an Open upper end 13 detachably closeable by means of the conventional push type cap 14.

Although the cap shown in the enclosed drawings is an external friction fit type of cap, nevertheless it will be appreciated that, if desired, the cap may be externally screw threaded upon the container.

Also the well known plug type cap may be utilized which incorporates a cylindrical portion surmounted by a cap, the cylindrical plug portion engaging within the upper end of the container.

In the present container I have formed a flange 15 integrally with the upper end 13 of the container by downturning the upper edge inwardly so that the flange lies in spaced and parallel relationship with the inner wall surface 16 of the container 10. This flange, together with the inner wall surface 16 defines an annular grcove 17 around the upper end of the container extending from a point 18 to the lower edge 19 of the aforementioned flange 15 as clearly illustrated in FIGURES l and 3.

The label 20 consists normally of a rectangular strip of paper upon which may be typed or otherwise inscribed with the prescription number, the name of the patient, and the requisite dosage.

The dimensions of this label normally are such that it is inserted within the container, it extends part way around the wall surface as shown in FIGURE 2. The vertical dimensions are desirably such that the lower edge 21 of the label engages the inner surface 22 of the base 12 of the container and the upper edge 23 is situated just below the upper edge of the container.

The label is slid into the container by means of the finger of the druggist so that the edge 21 engages the base 22 of the container and the label lies against the inner wall surface 16 in a curved manner.

The upper edge 23 is moved downwardly thereby displacing the body of the label inwardly slightly so that said upper edges slip under the lower edge 19 of the flange 15 and engaged within the aforementioned annular recess 17 between the flange 15 and the wall surface 16.

The insertion of the label is relatively simple but it will be appreciated that, once in position, it cannot be displaced inadvertently and in fact, if it is desired to remove the label intentionally, it is quite diflicult to do so.

The aforementioned flange 15 also maintains the label in the curved contour against the curved wall surface 16 and therefore does not interfere with the dispensing of tablets or capsules from the container.

Since various modifications can be made to the invention herein described within the scope of the inventive concept disclosed, it is not intended that protection of the said invention should be interpreted as restricted to the modification o-r modifications or known parts of such concept as have been particularly described, defined, or exexemplified, since this disclosure is intended to explain the construction and operation of such concept, and not for the purpose of limiting protection to any specific embodiment or details thereof.

What I claim as my invention is:

Means to retain labels against displacement within cylindrical containers, comprising in combination with said container, label engaging means formed within the upper end of said container, the upper edge of said label being engageable within said label engaging means, said label engaging means comprises an inwardly down-turned flange formed integrally With the upper open end of said container, said flange lying in spaced and parallel relationship with the cylindrical wall of said container, the height of said label being substantially equal to the height of said container whereby said label engages around the inner wall surface of said container with the lower edge of said label engaging the base of said container and the upper edge of said label engaging between said flange and the inner wall surface of said container.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,844,893 7/1958 Keller 40-306 EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner.

W. I. CONTRERAS, Assistant Examiner. 

